Belt for disposable garment

ABSTRACT

A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure is composed of flexible material, lengthwise dimensionally stable. The belt has a first and a second end, an intermediate attachment portion adjacent the first belt end and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown, and a second intermediate portion adjacent the second belt end, the second intermediate portion being transversely micropleated to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length. The compacted portion is extensible responsive to tension on the second belt end to an extended length at least twice and preferably six to seven times the initial compacted length, and substantially maintains this extended length after tension on the second end is released. The belt with the compacted portion in extended condition is long enough to surround the gown wearer&#39;&#39;s body with the belt ends secured together.

United States Patent 1 1 Hartigan et al.

Aug. 28, 1973 BELT FOR DISPOSABLE GARMENT [73] Assignee: The Kendall Company, Walpole,

Mass.

221 Filed: Feb. 15, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 226,497

Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney-Martin Kirkpatrick [5 7] ABSTRACT A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure is composed of flexible material, lengthwise dimensionally stable. The belt has a first and a second end, an intermediate attachment portion adjacent the first belt end and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown, and a second intennediate portion adjacent the second belt end, the second intermediate portion being transversely micropleated to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length. The compacted portion is extensible responsive to tension on the second belt end to an extended length at least twice and preferably six to seven times the initial compacted length, and substantially maintains this extended length after tension on the second end is released. The belt with the compacted portion in extended condition is long enough to surround the gown wearers body with the belt ends secured together.

16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Aug. 28, 1973 2.3 Sheets-Shoot :1

BELT FOR DISPOSABLE GARMENT This invention relates to an operating room gown having a novel aseptic belting means.

The necessity of maintaining proper aseptic condi tions in an operating room throughout the preparation for and performance of a surgical or obstetrical procedure presents many serious problems to doctors and other hospital personnel. For instance, aseptic gowning of doctors and nurses in preparation for an operation has proven particularly difficult to achieve in a satisfactory manner. One phase in aseptic gowning that has posed problems is the belting procedure. A doctor normally dons a back-closing operating room gown by inserting his hands and arms into its sleeves; the gown is pulled up around his body by someone else so that it will close at the doctors back. Usually some type of fastening means holds the gown closed near the back portion of the collar. In addition, the main body portion of the gown is usually closed around the wearer's body and the gown material is confined, thereby preventing the gown from flapping into the zone of operation, bunching, or interfering with the wearer or other persons around the wearer. Frequently, a belt is employed to close the body portion of the gown around around the doctor's, or other wearers, midsection and to control the gown material. Since the belt, in use, must extend around the back of the doctor, a nurse usually assists in placing it around his body. If the belt is completely unattached to the gown, two separate items, the gown and the belt, must be handled, which increases the difficulty of maintaining aseptic conditions. As a separate item, the unattached belt may not be ade quately protected in sterile conditions. If one end of an unattached belt is accidentally dropped during the belting procedure, the belt is likely to fall below the wearer's waist, an area that is usually considered to be nonsterile; the belt may then become contaminated. If the belt is attached to the gown, on the other hand, the free ends must be sufficiently long to be tied by the wearer. At the same time, until the ends are tied, they must not be permitted to fall below the wearers waist level into a nonsterile area. The entire belt must be sterile since part of it may rest on or pass over the sterile gown and the ends will be handled by the wearer and assisting personnel.

It is an object of the invention to provide a disposable operating room gown belting means suitable for use in aseptic gowning procedures.

The invention features a belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure, composed of flexible material, lengthwise dimensionally stable. The belt has a first and a second end, an intermediate attachment portion adjacent the first belt end and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown. and a second intermediate portion adjacent the second belt end, the second intermediate portion being transversely micropleated to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length. The compacted portion is extensible responsive to tension on the second belt end to an extended length at least twice and preferably six or seven times the initial compacted length, and substantially maintains this extended length after tension on the sec end end is released. The belt with the compacted portion in extended condition is long enough to surround the gown wearers body with the belt end secured together.

In preferred embodiments, the belt has a protective wrap removably covering at least part of one or both belt ends.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken together with the attached drawings thereof, in which:

FIG. I is a view of one embodiment of the belting means of this invention with a compacted portion of the beit adjacent each end;

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of HG. l positioned on a side and back panel of a gown;

FIGS. 3-7 illustrate a sequence of steps in belting a gown in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken on the lines 8-8 of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the belting means 10 includes a flexible belt 12 having a first end portion 14 and a second end portion 16. A protective wrap 18 removably covers the second end portion 16. Protective wrap 18 should cover enough of second belt end portion 16 to enable a nurse, or other person, to grasp and pull that end without contacting the belt itself. lf desired, for additional protection, another protective wrap may be placed over the first belt end portion in a fashion similar to that described for the second end. Belt 12 is compacted by being crimped or micropleated throughout a portion 20 adjacent end portion 16 and, preferably, a portion 23 adjacent end portion 14, with the individual micropleats 21 extending transversely to said belt.

Several processes of mechanical compaction are satisfactory, such as that known as Micrexing and using a system available from the Micrex Division of Bird Machine Company. Such a system applies longitudinal compressive forces in a specific area of the material to produce a condensed micropleated texture web, and provides a fabric that has a plurality of small discontinuous pleats extending across the fabric. The resulting fabric is flexible, and is extensible in the lengthwise direction (transverse to the pleats) but is not elastic, since, once extended, it does not return to its compacted length. Such crimping will reduce the length of a suitable material to at least one-half and preferably about one-sixth to one-seventh of the original length.

Several materials are suitable for compacting by this process to make the gown belt of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment the belt is made of Tyvek", made by Du Pont. Tyvek designates a family of tough, durable sheet products made of high density polyethylene fibers by an integrated spinning and bonding process. The sheet web is formed by the random distribution of very fine continuous fibers ranging from about 0.08 to 0.8 mils in their smallest dimension. These fibers are bonded together by heat and pressure. No binders. sizes, or fillers are usually used. Other spun-bonded materials would also be suitable. Du Pont produces Typar of polypropylene, Reemay of polyester, and Nomex of polyamide. Monsanto and Crown- Zellerbach companies produce spun-bonded Cerex polyamide and Fibretex polypropylene fabrics.

FIG. 8 shows, on a greatly enlarged scale, a crosssection of the compacted portion 20 of belt 12. The initial thickness of the material is 6 mils; the thickness of the compacted portion is about 0.045 inch. There are approximately pleats 21 per inch. The compacted portion may be extended to about 850 percent of its compacted length. Thus the unextended length of the belt has been greatly reduced, without producing an inconvenient bulk.

Portion 22 of belt 12, between crimped portions 20 and 23, is attached to the right side and rear panel of gown 2.4, as shown in FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the attachment means is tacky adhesive placed on the inner surface of portion 22 of belt 12. Free ends 14 and 16, with crimped portions 20 and 23, may extend, suitably, for 4 to 6 inches beyond the attached portion 22.

FIG. 2 shows a back view of a gown 24 which is closable down its back by a first marginal portion 40 overlapping a second marginal portion 42 at the back of the gown. Portion 22 of belt 12 is attached to gown 24 in the vicinity of the wearers waist and is spaced from the edge of first marginal portion 40 toward one side of the gown. It is usually preferable to position the belting means 10 on that side of the gown that includes the overlapping marginal portion 40, so that when the belt is drawn across the back of the gown overlapping marginal portion 40 will be drawn over and against the underlying marginal portion 42 to close the gown. The belting means is also positioned so that the end portion 16 with crimped portion 20 of the belt is directed generally toward the overlapping marginal portion 40 and the attached portion 22 extends generally around the side and a portion of the front of the gown, so that a wearer of the gown may easily grasp the first end portion 14 with his right hand.

When the gown is first put on, crimped portion 20 is in its compacted state. Consequently free end 16 hangs only a few inches below the wearers waist, as shown in FIG. 2. However, because of the micropleating, when a nurse or other assistant grasps protective cover 18 and pulls, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, crimped portion 20 extends for a distance of at least 6 to 7 times its compacted length and is long enough to be brought around the wearers left side (FIG. and then to be tied together with its opposite free end 14 (FIGS. 6 and 7). Crimped portion 23 similarly extends to permit end 14 to be tied. As the crimped area is inelastic, it does not tend to return to the compacted length, and no confining or uncomfortable pressure is exerted on the wearer once the belt is adjusted and secured.

The use of the belting means in accordance with this invention in the aseptic gowning of doctors, or other persons, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-7. FIG. 3 shows a doctor wearing a sterile operating room gown that closes down the back by overlapping marginal portions 40, 42 (shown in FIG. 2). The gown includes a sterile belting means attached to the back and side of gown 24 toward the right side of the gown wearer. To secure the belt around his waist by the method of this invention, the doctor or other wearer grasps the end portion 14 of the belt closest to the right side of the gown with his sterile gloved hand 32. An assisting person 33, such as a circulating nurse, grasps the other end portion 16 of the belt through the covering protective wrap 18, without contacting any portion of the sterile gown body or any portion of the sterile belting means other than the protective wrap.

As shown in FIG. 4, the doctor being gowned and the assistant each pulls one end portion of the belt and they carry their respective belt ends around to the front of the doctor, the micropleated portion extending to six or seven times its compacted length and stretching to the necessary length to reach the front of the doctor, so that the belt will surround the doctor near his waist. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the assistant hands end 16 of the belt to the doctor, who grasps it at a point not covered by the protective wrap 18. The assistant then slips the protective wrap 18 off the belt, which leaves the doctor holding each end of the belt in a completely uncontaminated condition.

The doctor then cinches the belt 12 to close the gown about the midsection of his body, and ties the belt at his front, as shown in FIG. 7.

According to a doctrine followed by some doctors the back portion of an operating room gown is always considered non-sterile. The belting means of this invention is readily adaptable to the practice of those doctors who subscribe to this doctrine. As the compacted portion of the belt is drawn out to its extended length, those parts of the belt which must cross portions of the gown considered non-sterile may be held away from the gown itself until the belt extends a sufficient distance to encompass or encircle the doctor. Then the belt may be tied or otherwise fastened around the doctor. In this way no part of the belt touches any portion of the gown which might be considered non-sterile, such as a back portion, prior to being brought into contact with a sterile area of the gown. Furthermore, since the belt is attached to the gown body, the belt cannot be rotated about the doctor to bring any portion of the belt considered contaminated into contact with a sterile portion of the gown.

If desired, the belt may have a further compacted portion, between the intermediate attachment portion and the first belt end; this second compacted portion is also micropleated and has an initial compacted length, and is extensible responsive to tension on the first belt end to an extended length at least twice the initial compacted length.

The belting means of this invention may be sterilized prior to use by any one of several conventional methods now being employed to sterilize operating room materials, such as steam autoclaving or ethylene oxide sterilization. The belting means may be sterilized after it is attached to an operating room gown, or it may be separately sterilized and aseptically affixed to a previously sterilized gown.

What is claimed is:

l. A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure said belt being composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material,

said belt having a first and a second end,

an intermediate attachment portion adjacent said first belt end and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown, and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said second intermediate portion being microcreped to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length. said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on said second belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said second end is released,

said belt with said compacted portion in extended condition being long enough to surround the gown wearers body with said belt ends secured together.

2. The belt of claim 1 further including a protective wrap removably covering at least part of said first belt end.

3. The belt of claim 2 including a second protective wrap removably covering at least part of said second belt end.

4. An operating room gown for use in sterile gowning procedure, said gown having a body portion and being closable by a first marginal portion overlapping a second marginal portion, and having a belt composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material,

said belt having a first and a second end,

a first intermediate portion adjacent said first belt end attached to said operating room gown, and

a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said second intermediate portion being microcreped to form a compacted portion, having an initial compacted length, said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on said second belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said second belt end is released,

said first intermediate portion being attached to said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearers waist.

5. The gown of claim 4 wherein said intermediate attachment portion extends about one-half the circumference of said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearers waist.

6. The gown of claim 4 wherein said gown is closable down its back portion by said first marginal portion overlapping said second marginal portion, said belt intermediate attachment portion being attached to the side of said gown which includes said first marginal portion, said first belt end extending toward said gown front and said second belt end extending towards said first marginal portion.

7. The gown of claim 6 wherein said intermediate attachment portion extends about one-half the circumference of said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearers waist.

8. The gown of claim 4 including a protective wrap removably covering at least part of said first belt end.

9. The gown of claim 8 including a second protective wrap removably covering at least part of said second belt end.

10. The belt of claim 1, said compacted portion being extensible to an extended length about six times said initial compacted length.

ll. The gown of claim 4, said compacted portion of said belt being extensible to an extended length about six times said initial compacted length.

12. A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure said belt being composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material,

said belt having a first and a second end,

a first intermediate portion adjacent said first belt end and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said first and second intermediate portions being microcreped to form first and cent said belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said end is released, and

an intermediate attachment portion between said compacted portions and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown,

said belt with said compacted portions in extended condition being long enough to surround the gown wearer's body with said belt ends secured together.

13. An operating room gown for use in sterile gowning procedure, said gown having a body portion and being closable by a first marginal portion overlapping a second marginal portion, and having a belt composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material,

said belt having a first and a second end,

a first and intermediate portion adjacent said first belt end and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said first and second intermediate portions being microcreped to form first and second compacted portions, each having an initial compacted length, each said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on the adjacent said belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said belt end is released, and

a third intermediate portion between said compacted portions attached to said operating room gown,

said third intermediate portion being attached to said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearers waist.

14. A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure said belt being composed of flexible lengthwise di mensionally stable material,

said belt having first and second end portions,

an intermediate attachment portion between said end portions and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown,

each said belt end portion being microcreped to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length, each said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on said belt end portion to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said end portion is released,

said belt with said compacted portions in extended condition being long enough to surround the gown wearers body with said belt end portions secured together.

15. An operating room gown for use in sterile gowning procedure, said gown having a body portion and being closable by a first marginal portion overlapping a second marginal portion, and having belting means composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material,

said belting means having first and second belt end portions, each said belt end portion being secured to said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearers waist and having a free tying portion,

at least one of said free tying portions being microcreped to form a compacted portion, having an initial compacted length, and being extensible responleased. sive to tension on said free tying portion to an ex- 16. An operating room gown as claimed in claim 15 tended length at least twice said initial compacted wherein length, and substantially maintaining said extended each of said free tying portions is microcreped.

length after tension on said free tying portion is re- 

1. A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure said belt being composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material, said belt having a first and a second end, an intermediate attachment portion adjacent said first belt end and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown, and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said second intermediate portion being microcreped to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length, said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on said second belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said second end is released, said belt with said compacted portion in extended condition being long enough to surround the gown wearer''s body with said belt ends secured together.
 2. The belt of claim 1 further including a protective wrap removably covering at least part of said first belt end.
 3. The belt of claim 2 including a second protective wrap removably covering at least part of said second belt end.
 4. An operating room gown for use in sterile gowning procedure, said gown having a body portion and being closable by a first marginal portion overlapping a second marginal portion, and having a belt composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material, said belt having a first and a second end, a first intermediate portion adjacent said first belt end attached to said operating room gown, and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said second intermediate portion being microcreped to form a compacted portion, having an initial compacted length, said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on said second belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said second belt end is released, said first intermediate portion being attached to said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearer''s waist.
 5. The gown of claim 4 wherein said intermediate attachment portion extends about one-half the circumference of said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearer''s waist.
 6. The gown of claim 4 wherein said gown is closable down its back portion by said first marginal portion overlapping said second marginal portion, said belt intermediate attachment portion being attached to the side of said gown which includes said first marginal portion, said first belt end extending toward said gown front and said second belt end extending towards said first marginal portion.
 7. The gown of claim 6 wherein said intermediate attachment portion extends about one-half the circumference of said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearer''s waist.
 8. The gown of claim 4 including a protective wrap removably covering at least part of said first belt end.
 9. The gown of claim 8 including a second protective wrap removably covering at least part of said second belt end.
 10. The belt of claim 1, said compacted portion being extensible to an extended length about six times said initial compacted length.
 11. The gown of claim 4, said compacted portion of said belt being extensible to an extended length about six times said initial compacted length.
 12. A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure said belt being composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material, said belt having a first and a second end, a first intermediate portion adjacent said first belt end and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said first and second intermediate portions being microcreped to form first and second compacted portions each having an initial compacted length, each said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on the adjacent said belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said end is released, and an intermediate attachment portion between said compacted portions and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown, said belt with said compacted portions in extended condition being long enough to surround the gown wearer''s body with said belt ends secured together.
 13. An operating room gown for use in sterile gowning procedure, said gown having a body portion and being closable by a first marginal portion overlapping a second marginal portion, and having a belt composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material, said belt having a first and a second end, a first and intermediate portion adjacent said first belt end and a second intermediate portion adjacent said second belt end, said first and second intermediate portions being microcreped to form first and second compacted portions, each having an initial compacted length, each said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on the adjacent said belt end to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said belt end is released, and a third intermediate portion between said compacted portions attached to said operating room gown, said third intermediate portion being attached to said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearer''s waist.
 14. A belt for use in sterile operating room gowning procedure said belt being composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material, said belt having first and second end portions, an intermediate attachment portion between said end portions and adapted for attachment to an operating room gown, each said belt end portion being microcreped to form a compacted portion having an initial compacted length, each said compacted portion being extensible responsive to tension on said belt end portion to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said end portion is released, said belt with said compacted portions in extended condition being long enough to surround the gown wearer''s body with said belt end portions secured together.
 15. An operating room gown for use in sterile gowning procedure, said gown having a body portion and being closable by a first marginal portion overlapping a second marginal portion, and having belting means composed of flexible lengthwise dimensionally stable material, said belting means having first and second belt end portions, each said belt end portion being secured to said gown body portion in the region of a gown wearer''s waist and having a free tying portion, at least one of said free tying portions being microcreped to form a compacted portion, having an initial compacted length, and being extensible responsive to tension on said free tying portion to an extended length at least twice said initial compacted length, and substantially maintaining said extended length after tension on said free tying portion is released.
 16. An operating room gown as claimed in claim 15 wherein each of said free tying portions is microcreped. 